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i.
Sungchan suppresses a sigh as he stared at the tall building in front of him.
He was supposed to be in the university dorms right now but somehow, a prank gone wrong blew up an entire wing of Seoul University Dorms. He didn't even let himself think about it and let his parents talk to the university representative instead. It was in the school contract that as a scholar student, he was to live in-campus especially since he was a minor. He rolled his eyes at that, he was accelerated sure, but he's been living alone for 2 years since his parents were working abroad.
Anyway, since they couldn't house Sungchan in the dorms, they agreed he can stay somewhere else for the time being until the dorm was repaired. . . or replaced.
Sungchan didn't particularly care for that since he gets to live with his cousin, Jung Jaehyun. Growing up, his Jaehyun hyung was the coolest person in his eyes. They were one of the youngest in the Jung clan, the closest in age, and were only childs so they had a lot to bond over.
So trudging in the building, he was cheerfully greeted by a doorman to which he smiled in response. He was buzzed up immediately and he couldn't contain his excitement. Jaehyun hyung was fun.
Except, it was another person that opened the door and he had to take a step back and read the door number again if he had it wrong. It was right.
"Ah, you must be Sungchan! Welcome, welcome," he was ushered inside the hall, the person helping with some of his bags. "Jaehyun had to go run down for groceries since the idiot forgot to pick some up yesterday."
Sungchan only stared dumbfounded at the stranger who felt so at home in his cousin's apartment. He must've noticed since he faced him and offered a smile showing his gums, his eyes crinkling at the sides.
"I'm Kim Doyoung. I pay half the rent of this place and I live here."
Oh . Sungchan took a while to process that before bowing and offering his hand politely to shake the older's hand that was outstretched towards him.
"I'm Jung Sungchan," he replied and cursed in his head because the stran- Doyoung- knew that already.
They both shifted on their toes, unsure what to do but it was Doyoung who broke the ice and ushered him to the living room and offered refreshments. It was powerade since they were apparently really low on groceries and that was all they had apart from water.
"So what are you studying?" Doyoung asked as he handed him a cold bottle. He murmured his thanks before answering.
"Veterinary Medicine. I've always wanted to be a vet. I love animals,"
"Wow, you Jungs really are the change or help the world type of people huh?"
Sungchan laughed a little at that. Jaehyun hyung was in law school, a year away from graduating if he was right.
They were chatting amongst themselves when the door buzzed and Jaehyun hyung finally strolled in, both hands full of bags like he just brought the entire store.
"He finally rolls in," Doyoung deadpanned, not moving from his comfortable sprawl on the couch.
"Hyung, let me help." Sungchan jumped on his feet and relieved some bags from Jaehyun, following him to the kitchen where they set everything on the counter.
He was about to put them out and maybe help out in putting them in place but Jaehyun gently stopped him and guided him back to the living room where Doyoung was watching a series on Netflix.
"Doyoung is always the one who will arrange the groceries since he doesn't like not knowing where things are," Jaehyun explained.
Sungchan went back to his seat and expected his cousin to sit beside him since he had the larger couch to himself. It was only logical especially since Doyoung was draped on the other one like he owns it. He probably did. He can't believe his cousin who's favorite color is black ever since would buy an atrocious purple couch that looked out of place in the rather expensive decor of the place.
But no, he watched in surprise as Jaehyun walked towards Doyoung and sat on the far edge, gathering his legs and placing them over his lap. Doyoung barely bat an eye at the exchange and shifted some more to make himself more comfortable.
Huh, that's different .
"Let me just catch my breath a little. I ran back as fast as I could when Doyoung texted me you're here."
"No problem, hyung. Maybe next time I can do the groceries instead."
"Eh, that's no problem Sungchanie , you're Jaehyun's guest so you just sit tight but if you're really that bothered, you can help with the dishes instead," Doyoung answered, Jaehyun nodding along as he squeezed one knee on his lap.
"Okay then, I'll show you to your room," Jaehyun stood up and gestured towards the other hall with three doors. "This all you have?"
"I have some of my things in a storage for when I move in the University dorms."
Jaehyun nodded and led him to the second door.
"This is Doyoung's room and it's yours for now."
Sungchan's eyes widened and shot a look back in the living room.
"I can sleep on the couch, hyung. I didn't want to impose on Doyoung hyung like this. He can have his room."
Jaehyun waved a hand and dropped his bags at the foot of the bed. Sungchan surveyed the room. It was clean, too clean in fact, like nobody used it yet.
"Don't be silly. Doyoung doesn't use it anymore and he will not sleep on the couch." He said as he opened the windows to let some natural light in. "Besides, it's usually me sleeping on the couch."
Sungchan didn't know what to make of that last sentence but before he could ask, Jaehyun was already on the door, giving him a smile.
"We'll talk more later. Get settled in first."
ii.
Sungchan was having a rough night. He had tons of books to read and notes to look over but his brain seemed to be fried from that afternoon's lecture and the information just won't get inside his head. He wanted to sleep but he was too strung up to do so.
He decided maybe some milk will help and tiptoed to the kitchen, glad for the carpeted floors that there wouldn't be any creaking floorboards. He didn't want to disturb either Doyoung or Jaehyun. They seem like really busy people and sleep probably was their only chance to rest.
Opening the fridge, he sighed at the cool air and looked for milk but there was none left. Bumping his head on the metal door, he groaned. He just wanted some milk. How was he supposed to sleep now?
Checking again, he found a six pack of beer instead and bit his lip. He was underage sure, but he was a month away from legality in age. Surely that was okay.
With steeled resolve, he reached out and took one. He wiped the top clean and popped the tab and jumped on his feet when he saw Jaehyun looking at him, a smirk on his face. He smiled sheepishly and stared at the droplets of beer he spilled on the floor.
"Clean that up and for both our sakes, don't let Doyoung find out about it."
Sungchan didn't ponder much about it and pulled some tissues to wipe the floor. When he finished, he grabbed his can of beer and muttered a quick good night to his cousin and hightailed back to his room.
The morning the next day, he groaned at the pounding in his head. Okay, maybe alcohol was a bad thing.
He was slightly out of it (really out of it) but he swore he could hear arguing out his door. He could make out his name and 'beer' and that went on for a while until it stopped and the door to his room opened, a figure moving towards him and setting something down on the bedside table and left quickly after.
Later that afternoon, when the pounding in his head was just a dull ache, he found a glass of water and hang over medicine on his bedside table.
iii.
It was a little over three weeks since he moved in temporarily with Jaehyun and Doyoung.
Sungchan wasn't sure what the two exactly were with each other aside from living together. They certainly were too cosy for two guys just living together.
There was that one time he woke up earlier than usual and strained his ears for any sounds outside his door, for whatever reasons, he didn't know, something was just telling him to do it.
He felt stupid for doing it and opened the door and headed for the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks when at the sight in front of him. Sungchan immediately moved away, hiding behind a slab of wall.
He has long learned that Doyoung was never a morning person and that seemed to be the matter today except his Jaehyun hyung stood beside him, head tucked on one of his broad shoulders, arms encircled on his waist as they both waited for the coffee to be ready.
"Ugh Jaehyun, get started on breakfast already. Your cousin will be up soon."
"But I didn't get my cuddle time with you last night. You stayed up all night working."
"Someone's got to have to do it."
Sungchan didn't hear any more of their conversations as they converted in hushed voices. He didn't know what to do and dumbly stood there for a few minutes until he heard the pans and the starting of a stove.
He counted up to ten in his mind and casually stepped out, feigning a yawn as he went.
"Good morning, Sungchanie, didn't hear you there," Doyoung greeted, looking slightly brighter and better from a few minutes ago.
"Morning, hyung. What's for breakfast?"
After that, it was really safe to assume that they were sleeping together, literally. Figuratively, he was still trying to find out.
iv.
A whole month since he started college, he's made some friends already. Somehow, a Junior decided to take Sungchan under his wing.
"Sungchan, we're going out to eat meat," Jungwoo hyung stated as he steered him towards the little group of friends he made.
"Yeah, Yangyang said it's his treat," Donghyuck nodded eagerly, ignoring the glare being sent his way.
"Did not! " Yangyang stomped his foot before turning to Jungwoo with his puppy eyes.
Jungwoo waved him off, stepping away from Yangyang's proximity. "Don't look at me. It's you who got in the stupid bet with Donghyuck."
Sungchan didn't even want to know. Those two were always up against each other with anything and everything. Instead, he turned to the quiet newcomer beside him.
"Hyung, what do you want to eat?" He asked Shotaro, a foreign exchange student who was still shy around them.
"Sushi," he answered shyly, eyes darting from Sungchan to Yangyang and Donghyuck.
Jungwoo must've heard since he gave an unimpressed look at the two arguing and gestured for Sungchan and Shotaro to follow him instead.
When they were a few meters away, they heard indignant squawking from behind them followed by heavy footsteps, the two finally catching up to them.
"Rude!" Haechan pouted, falling in step at Shotaro's other side.
When they ordered sushi and got a table, they started talking about their day as they waited for their food.
"Sungchan, didn't you say you live with a cousin?" Jungwoo asked as they were talking about the dorm incident once more, the reason why he was living with a cousin.
Apparently, it was the doing of one Zhong Chenle and Wong Yukhei that a wing of the dorms is gone. Somehow, those two still study in the university after it was marked merely as an accident.
"Yeah, I live with my cousin Jaehyun and his roommate Doyoung."
Donghyuck turned to him sharply, head cocked to the side, looking thoughtful.
"Jaehyun as in, Jung Jaehyun with the pasty bread complexion, dimples, black shirt is life, and absolutely fucking smitten with Kim Doyoung?"
Sungchan nodded dumbly, taken aback that Donghyuck knew his cousin. Then again, he wasn't that surprised. He seemed to know a lot of people especially with the amount of gossip he supplies them everytime they eat out.
Suddenly, all eyes were on him and he felt small under their gaze. Shotaro was the only one who had confusion written all over his face.
"Damn, I suddenly pity you, Sungchan. Those two are so domestic and yet skirts around each other's feelings, it's so hard to physically look at them."
This time, Sungchan was the one who had confusion written all over his face. Did they not know that they shared the same bed together every night? After realizing this, he kept his mouth shut. There must be a reason why they didn't know.
"How do you know them?"
"Doyoung hyung was only a few doors down from mine when he still studied here. We had a lot of mutual friends," Jungwoo answered, stirring his drink with the straw.
"Yep, he used to tutor us too before we entered uni. It's how I met Yangie," Donghyuck answered, elbowing Yangyang who was smiling beside him.
"How are they anyway? I miss playing basketball with Jaehyun hyung," Yangyang pouted.
But before he could answer that, Shotaro lit up and pointed out that their order was going their way. All conversations seized afterwards as they all focused on their food.
v.
Sungchan came home to a quiet apartment and he assumed he was alone in the house. Still, they usually texted if they would be out late so he could order himself some food if he wanted.
He was about to enter his room when he noticed the door at the end of the hall, their room, was left ajar. He tiptoed, Sungchan noticed he's been doing that a lot in here, and peered inside.
Doyoung seems to be in bed, eyes rimmed red, and looking pale. Jaehyun had a thermometer in his hand, checking the temperature before gently helping him settle more comfortably on the bed.
"I feel like I'm about to die."
"If you can still complain about it, you're probably fine."
There was a teasing lilt in his cousin's voice when he said it, followed by a huff.
"You're so annoying."
"Ha, say that again and I'll leave you here on your own."
There was a whining noise from Doyoung as he took Jaehyun's hand.
"Like you'll be able to."
Jaehyun chuckled and pulled his hands away, pulled the blanket higher on Doyoung's shoulder.
"You're right, I won't. I can't. Never. "
There was no more response from Doyoung after that as he drifted off to sleep. Sungchan was about to move away but he caught another movement and froze.
He saw Jaehyun placing a soft kiss on Doyoung's forehead.
Oh. Sungchan left them to it and quietly moved to his room. He still had a lot of chapters to read.
vi.
It was a rainy day and Sungchan prepared the umbrella Doyoung had picked up for him the other day. He stuffed it in his bag before he forgets to bring it later on and brave the rain without anything.
The weather seemed to reflect on Jaehyun's mood too. Apparently, Doyoung had to go to Japan for company business. Since he was head of human resources and they wanted him to aid in putting an HR team together since they're expansion was fairly recent.
This time, it seems like they weren't even trying to hide their conversation, like they forgot he was even in the same room.
"Doyoungie," Jaehyun whined. "Do you really have to go?"
"It's only a week, Jae."
"I know but that's going to be a long week and you know what this week has for us."
Doyoung's eyes softened at that as he cupped Jaehyun's face in his hands. "I promise we'll video call. It's not like there's a time difference. We'll still be in the same time zone."
Sungchan politely turned away and proceeded to make coffee. It felt like he was intruding in a private moment. . . like every other time he's been doing since he set foot in this household. The dorms couldn't be fixed fast enough.
He was waiting for them to maybe kiss or hug it out just so he could confirm all this once and for all and let it out if his system even if that made him sound weird but he was invested now okay.
Instead, Doyoung patted Jaehyun's shoulder which seemed to slump more in the passing minute.
"Alright then," Doyoung said. "Sungchanie, anything you want from Japan?"
Sungchan blinked for a moment. He poked his head out in the kitchen. Doyoung was looking at him with a small smile. He was always thoughtful like that. He bought him an umbrella the other time, a charger when he broke his, treats him to meals, and let him choose what he wants to watch on the television.
"Maybe just some snacks, hyung."
Shotaro was getting better in his homesickness but not his shyness and he mentioned missing authentic Japanese snacks so maybe he could do some good by buying him some.
"Okay then, you're in-charge. God knows how this place will be with Jaehyun running it."
Sungchan laughed at that, already used to the way the two are with each other.
They both watched as Doyoung went out the door and when it finally shut, Jaehyun slumped on that hideous couch, tapping away in his phone.
When Sungchan had a cup of coffee, he followed Jaehyun to the living room and grabbed the remote.
"Want to watch Alive? It's on Netflix."
Jaehyun nodded at his attempt and they ordered some chicken as well.
The next few days were somber even if Jaehyun was trying to be cheerful about it. He occasionally sees him wearing Doyoung's hoodies and he knows they're his because he's seen him wearing it but he says nothing.
They had more time together, not that they didn't before. Jaehyun and Doyoung included him with what they do all the time. Shopping, going to the cinemas to watch a new movie, singing in karaoke, and whatever shenanigans they come up with. It never felt like he was a third wheel. In fact, it was like Jaehyun was the third wheel with how Doyoung took a shine on him.
"He's good at taking care of people," Jaehyun told him one time.
Next thing they know, Doyoung was flying back in a day. They both spent hours cleaning and stocking up the pantry so he won't be stressed about when he comes home.
"I knew putting Sungchan in-charge while I was gone was a good idea," Doyoung teased as he came home.
"You're right, hyung."
Jaehyun pouted at that and hounded Doyoung for a big hug, the first time they did it before his eyes, or so they thought.
After that, it was like nothing happened. Doyoung handed him a big bag of souvenirs and snacks and he just stared at it dumbfounded, barely stuttering his thanks after.
Jaehyun was watching him with a smile and ruffled Sungchan's hair as he followed Doyoung to their room.
vii.
It was about two months now since he's been living with them and they fell on good dynamics with each other. Doyoung was particular about cleanliness and as long as he picked after himself, they had no problems.
He was coming home really late since he was dragged into having drinks with Donghyuck and Yangyang. He was finally legal so they took advantage of that. He kept it moderate since the first time he drank, he was out like a light and woke up with a hang over. So maybe he's a little bit lightweight.
The sight in their living room was enough to sober him up. His cousin and his boyfriend, he was sure of it now, was in an intense make out session on that hideous purple couch with Doyoung on Jaehyun's lap. Jaehyun's hands were under Doyoung's shirt, the other holding the back of Doyoung's neck.
For a moment he just stood there frozen, unsure what to do until Doyoung opened his eyes and saw him there, freezing as well.
There was a flush on his cheeks and he was breathing heavily as he pulled away from Jaehyun, putting a hand on Jaehyun's mouth as it chased after his but Jaehyun took that initiative to start trailing kisses in his jaw and neck instead.
"Jung Jaehyun, your cousin is watching us," he hissed, pulling at Jaehyun's hair which didn't have the desired effect since that only made him groan.
"He knows," was the only thing Jaehyun said before pulling away and putting his hands on Doyoung's thighs, slowly caressing up and down, eyes still trailed on his boyfriend.
"What do you mean he knows?" Doyoung blurted. "Why didn't I know that you know that he knows? Jung Jaehyun, what the hell?!"
Sungchan winced at the sound and stumbled slightly, barely catching himself on the wall. Okay maybe he's had too much to drink. it was starting to catch up to him now. His vision was starting swim and there was that uncomfortable pounding in his head.
"I'm drunk."
He left them at that and staggered to his room.
If only he was a little bit more sober, he would've woken up to the pounding on the wall he shared with his cousin and his boyfriend. Small mercies.
The next morning, Jaehyun smiled at him from the stove as he flipped the last of the pancakes. There was hot chocolate on the table too.
He silently took his seat on the table, murmuring his thanks when Doyoung slid the same medicine he found on his bedside table months ago.
"So…"
"Doyoung." Jaehyun rolled his eyes as he put the stack of pancakes on the table.
Sungchan put a piece on his plate and put butter. "I think most people know."
"What?"
"Well," Sungchan began. "Jungwoo, Donghyuck, and Yangyang seem to know. Even the doorman."
"Wait, you know those people?"
Jaehyun gave Doyoung a look that had him smiling sheepishly after asking when it was already implied.
"It's not like it was a secret." Jaehyun scratched the back of his head.
"Hmm, just took us a while to get there."
Sungchan, a little bit more alive and less hung over, swallowed the pancake in his mouth and chased it down with the hot chocolate. "I thought you had your anniversary. You know, when Doyoung hyung left for Japan?"
The two shared a look and chuckled.
"So you knew since then," Jaehyun hummed.
"A bit longer than that," he muttered.
Doyoung gave him a horrified look and elbowed Jaehyun, accusing him for being less discreet.
"Babe, that hurts! It's not my fault he Sungchan has functional eyes!"
Doyoung rolled his eyes and took Jaehyun's hands in his and put them on the table.
"So are you okay with this?" Doyoung gestured to their clasped hands on the table. There was no mistaking the nervousness behind that question.
Sungchan put his fork down and gave them a look, catching them squirming a little on their seat. Good, he thought. He endured a lot of lovey-dovey from them. They were cute but he'd never admit that out loud.
"I'm glad," he said a while later. "I'm glad Jaehyun hyung has someone he loves."
Doyoung blinked once and then twice, not knowing how to react. Jaehyun only laughed at his expression.
"Told you he'd be okay with it," he said softly.
When they were making heart eyes with each other, Sungchan took his plate and put them on the sink and dashed to his room, neither of them noticing.
Maybe he'd hang out with Shotaro today instead.